How to Make Doorways With a Curved Arch

Arches may be half, partial or ellipse.

Curved or arched doorways add architectural charm to a home. You have two options for transforming an existing doorway into an arch: Build a drywall arch without a door or add a transom arch above an existing door. The transom arch evokes the traditional arch design while retaining a traditional door. The drywall arch transforms a square, open doorway into an arch.

Drywall Arch

Drywall arch remodeling starts by removing the drywall on both sides in a square or rectangular shape above the doorway. Don't cut out an odd shape, keep it with straight lines with existing studs for backing and nailing if possible. Cutting square or rectangular shapes is recommended. If you can't cut it along studs, plan on adding backer studs for subsequent drywall alongside existing studs if needed. Continue removing the 4-inch-wide strip of drywall along both sides of the doorway all the way to the floor. After the drywall is removed, draw and cut the proposed arch out of a piece of cardboard to be used as a template and place it on the doorway. The top of the arch should be flush with the horizontal header of the doorway. Check for headroom and centering, and then fine-tune the arch by trimming it until satisfied.

Cut and Fit

Cut two pieces of 1/2-inch fir plywood using the cardboard template. One piece for the front and one for the back. Fit the plywood pieces on the doorway. Cut two-by-fours for backing if needed, and nail them with a 1/2-inch reveal or space along the inside edges so that the plywood arches fit flush with the face of the existing drywall. Add additional two-by-four blocks as needed until both pieces of plywood are adequately backed. Nail the plywood to the framing using a nail gun for best results. Cut two-by-four blocks and screw them 6 inches apart around the inside of the arch following the curve -- with the ends of the blocks facing the inside of the arch -- to provide the inside edge of the arch with backing for the subsequent hardboard trim.

Finish It

Cut a strips of 1/4-inch hardboard -- also sometimes referred to as Masonite -- the same width as the plywood arch. Cut enough to encompass the bottom exposed edge of the arch, and on both sides of the doorway all the way to the floor. Press it into place, bending it to fit the arch, and nail it to the blocks, and along both sides to the floor. The basic arch is now complete. Cut drywall to fit the areas that you removed on both sides of the arch. Allow it to overlap the arch along the bottom by a few inches and nail it in place on both sides. Use a reciprocating saw to cut the drywall along the bottom following the shape of the arch. If you have some ragged edges, sand or file them off.

Trim It

Drywall can be moistened and bent to fit curves, but it's time consuming and has mixed results. Drywall supply stores typically stock bendable drywall; save some time and effort and purchase this type of drywall. Cut enough to fit around the bottom of the arch and strips for both sides. Bend the drywall to fit the arch and nail it in place to the hardboard. Add the strips to the sides next. Finish by adding bendable corner molding -- also available at drywall supply stores -- to both sides around the arch and down both sides to the floor. Finish with traditional tape and texture.

Hardwood Option

You may not want to completely redesign a traditional doorway. Another type of arch consists of a transom. A transom is a curved design with a horizontal bottom. Some doorways have load-bearing studs and headers and and some do not. Consult a professional to determine what type you have. If you're lucky, the framing above the doorway is not load-bearing and can be removed along with the drywall. If not, the transom design may not be worth the time and effort. Once that is determined, it's possible to build a hardwood arch by gluing thin pieces of hardwood around a plywood form. Add a horizontal piece across the bottom to complete the frame of the transom. Order glass cut to fit and install it inside the arch with bendable molding and silicone glue, or have it installed by a glass shop. Fasten the transom in the opening above the doorway and finish it off with drywall around the perimeter.

About the Author

Specializing in hardwood furniture, trim carpentry, cabinets, home improvement and architectural millwork, Wade Shaddy has worked in homebuilding since 1972. Shaddy has also worked as a newspaper reporter and writer, and as a contributing writer for Bicycling Magazine. Shaddy began publishing in various magazines in 1992, and published a novel, “Dark Canyon,” in 2008.